Monday, June 30, 2008

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — With Islamic militants tightening their grip around Peshawar, kidnapping residents and threatening the city itself, the new coalition government of Pakistan delivered its first military response to the Islamists on Saturday. The action was limited, with security forces shelling territory outside Peshawar held by an extremist leader. Army forces were not used, and the intent apparently was merely to push the militants back from the city’s perimeter. But the shelling was the first time the new civilian government, which has been committed to negotiating peace accords with Pakistani Taliban and other Islamic militants, resorted to military action. Pakistan Shells Islamic Militants Near Peshawar

The emerging Taliban is not as worrying for Nawaz as his latent tendencies, going by his record, swing towards the Taliban way of life. We must not forget his 15th ‘ameer-ul-momineen’ amendment bill which luckily for us came to naught. We must also never forget Nawaz’s tampering with the judiciary during his second round as prime minister. A very fine and precise narrative of the events leading up to the storming of the Supreme Court on Nov 28, 1997 and how it evolved is given in Shuja Nawaz’s book, Crossed Swords, which should be on every shelf. More on Nawaz by Cowasjee

The amount of coverage that the lawyers’ movement has got in the media, with some news channels even going to the extent of airing revolutionary anthems to the tune of Faiz’s Ham daikhain ge, I ask, where are the masses?

I really feel bad for Aitzaz Ahsan. I’ve always liked the chap, but the way he’s turning into a bundle of (albeit well-meaning and passionate) hot air, it’s not funny anymore.

His predicament is a stark reflection of the so-called lawyers’ movement he is leading. Steamy hot air constantly pumped into the non-organic orifices of the movement by the media; a movement that keeps deflating every time it claims to have reached a pinnacle. The fizzling out of the much-hyped long march recently by the lawyers and civil society is the case in point. Nadeem Paracha

It's never useful or constructive when newspapers start criticising other newspapers and particularly when they gradually make a habit of it. Of late, one has also noticed that some newspapers regularly for criticism some television channels as well. The merits of such criticism aside, what purpose can really be served by criticising the editorials or reports, or hosts or anchors of other newspapers or television channels, especially when such people are not allowed to defend themselves. Frankly, I cannot understand the reason for publishing such material except to kind of denigrate the competition, and sections of the electronic media. If the purpose is to actually engage in constructive criticism then surely to bring up such 'criticism' in professional/industry meetings or complaints taken directly to the editors meetings,particularly on a social level should be quite frequent. Media should Criticise Media in Private